Ward 3 neighbors' association tells candidates 'help wanted'

Joe Cohen

Thursday

Mar 27, 2008 at 12:01 AMMar 27, 2008 at 12:53 AM

NEW BEDFORD — The two candidates running in the April 8 election for the Ward 3 City Council seat heard complaints about a litany of problems that have plagued the ward for years when they sat down with members of a neighborhood group Wednesday night.

NEW BEDFORD — The two candidates running in the April 8 election for the Ward 3 City Council seat heard complaints about a litany of problems that have plagued the ward for years when they sat down with members of a neighborhood group Wednesday night.

Only a tiny fraction — about 20 people — of the ward's several thousand residents attended the meeting of the Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Association. At the meeting, candidates George Rogers, 74, and Kathy Dehner, 51, were told that trash, abandoned houses, racing motor vehicles, unleashed dogs and noise continue to be neighborhood concerns, despite years of complaints to city elected and appointed officials, including those in the police, building and health departments.

The residents and Mr. Rogers agreed that Ward 3 and its nearby central city wards appear to receive considerably less attention than the city's more affluent, outlying wards.

Both Ms. Dehner and Mr. Rogers promised to be good listeners and advocates for the neighborhood.

Mr. Rogers stressed his experience as a former mayor and longtime city councilor and as a state representative, also citing his knowledge of city laws, rules and how to get things done.

Ms. Dehner offered herself as the candidate for change. She promised to be engaged and to attend the neighborhood meetings.

Mr. Rogers made a similar commitment.

Mr. Rogers said he is forming an advisory committee of Ward 3 residents that he will use to guide his efforts on the council if elected. That prompted one man to say he did not want to take a "stab at Mr. Rogers," but "we do not need an advisory committee — (just) get it done." Mr. Rogers replied, "Do you want to be on my advisory committee?" The man said, "I would advise you to not bother."

The general tone of the meeting was low-key and relatively folksy, with an audience of mostly older residents. They made it clear that they have been frustrated for years with what at least some view as a worsening situation in the neighborhood and a lack of substantive response by city officials and agencies. Attending the meeting were liaisons from the city, the police and the Bristol County District Attorney's Office, but they remained silent during the time designated for the candidates.

Mr. Rogers did test Ms. Dehner when he made thinly veiled comments implying her claims about being the owner of a real estate agency and having developed a building in the downtown historic district could be perceived as an underlying ethical problem if she were elected to the City Council.

Ms. Dehner came back hard on Mr. Rogers, however, noting that longtime City Councilor David Alves also is in the real estate business as is Mr. Rogers himself, and that avoiding a conflict of interest while conducting private or city business would be fairly easy to manage for her.

Both Ms. Dehner and Mr. Rogers were candidates for at-large seats on the City Council in the November election, and they both finished short of winning in that race. There were, at the time, a number of rumors circulating about the candidates and one involving Ms. Dehner was raised and put to rest Wednesday night.

A woman asked Ms. Dehner to explain where she lived, given the rumor that Ms. Dehner was not living in Ward 3, but instead was living in a condominium she owns above her downtown office. Ms. Dehner said she has lived for two years at 1259 Rockdale Ave. and that her children are in the process or already have homes adjacent to her at that location. She offered to let people see her driver's license if they wanted written proof, but no one took up the offer.

Mr. Rogers lives at 23 Robeson St. in the same home he has had for 40 years.

The special election was called because the incumbent resigned shortly after being re-elected in November.

Both candidates have been putting up signs in the neighborhood and campaigning door-to-door. There is no other debate or event planned after Wednesday night at which residents can view the candidates together.

Mr. Rogers is planning a town hall-style meeting today at 7 p.m. at the Days Inn at 500 Hathaway Road, which is open to the public.

Contact Joe Cohen at jcohen@s-t.com

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